Work has been kicking my ass lately. Like, Oh-my-God-it’s-Monday-again?-I-swear-weekends-go-by-in-a-blur type of ass kicking. Not really my cup of tea, but I like what I do so I manage.
But I need (this family needs) a vacation.
So we start looking at our options. It ain’t pretty. We’ve got grad school looming for me and a never-ending stack of bills on our kitchen counter. So our budget is on the wrong side of “We’re going to Disneyworld!”
We decide to take a one-tank trip to Columbus, OH. Know how far that is?
Like I said, a one-tank trip. I’m actually excited about it – less than two hours in the car, two nights at my favorite hotel chain, a chance to eat food that I didn’t have to cook? I’m all in!
But then I look at my BFF-in-the-head’s blog. She just put up a beautiful Wordless Wednesday post about her family (of five!) vacation to Paris. PARIS. As in, France. As in, all five of them need a passport and fancy luggage before they can even think of booking a flight or picking a hotel.
I drooled over pictures of her kids twirling down the streets of Paris, looking so international. I decided right then and there, that my kids were gonna go to Paris. Or Egypt. Or Brazil. Somewhere beyond these 50 states and no, Canada does NOT count.
Now my BFF-in-the-head is older than I am, and her kids are older than my kids. So I’m putting undue pressure on myself, right? But I can’t help it. I’m a mom now and I want to give the best to my kids now.
I know I love having my kids on this ride with me (see: my post on being jealous of 30something moms) and I’m looking forward to studying with them as I get this Master’s degree. But sometimes I just want to be there. To be at a place in my career where I can feel okay about taking two days off work because I don’t need to always be in the office proving myself.
So yes. That part sucks. But I’m taking my two days vacation and I am happy with my one-tank trip and I know my kids will be too. Besides, two hours in the car is better than 8+ hours on the plane, right? 
Enjoy that one-tank trip, girl. Sometiems short trips are the best. Like you said, no plane ride, no security gates, no ticket agents. Really, though, your kids will enjoy it. When they get older, kids remember the fancy stuff we do with them, but they remember the fun things the most.
.-= Mrs. CJ´s last blog ..More Kids- Please! =-.
I am horrible at typing. Please excuse the typos.
.-= Mrs. CJ´s last blog ..More Kids- Please! =-.
Hey girl, I know EXACTLY what you mean. Last week I wrote a post about my other friends’ ability to travel and not have to worry about [seemingly] anything. I was like, “shout… I love to travel… why can’t that be ME?!” But then I came back to my senses and realized that my son and I can travel together… Not exactly the same as vacationing with the girls like I was used to BEFORE having my son, but hey…
And yes! 2 hours in a car IS easier than 8 hours on a plane. We’re leaving for Hawaii in less than two weeks and I’m stressing out over what I’m gonna do with my son for 12 hours on a plane! So yea…
Enjoy your one-tank trip, love! I’m sure quality family time will be a blast and your little ones will LOVE it! Trust me… they don’t know the difference yet between the cost of a one-tank trip and Paris. LOL.
.-= alica´s last blog ..Appreciating My New Body One Stretch Mark At A Time =-.
if it means anything, i treasure the car trip memories the most with my family. enjoy columbus. make the most of it!
you’ll be taking those long overseas vacays before you know it! and when that time comes, your kids will be old enough to write on their blogs all about it
Girl, enjoy your well deserved trip! Overseas travel is best with children older than yours. Plus, I agree with Ashley, the trips we talk about at Thanksgiving are always the car trips, not the overseas ones.
Okay, first for all, you are TOO sweet. Secondly, trust me, you have a lifetime to take the kids to Paris. My babies are 17, 11, and 8, and taking them to Paris before this place and time would have been a waste. They learned so much more, I’m sure of it, because they could UNDERSTAND the beauty of the adventure. We took Mark when she was 18-months-old and all she remembers is what she saw in the pictures. So yeah, one tank trips are pretty much all we did until the kids were old enough to appreciate it. It wasn’t easy—the expense, the moving from one corner of Paris to the other five deep—but it was well worth it. But the next vacay is going to be a one-tank trip to somewhere with sand, beach chairs and someone bringing me dranks. All that traipsing around Europe is cute and all, but… yeah. LOL!
.-= Denene@MyBrownBaby´s last blog ..Wordful Wednesday- Summer in Paris With MyBrownBaby =-.
Oh, I directly relate. My friends are traveling to Italy, Brasil, Korea and Japan while I take a drive to NYC for the 189th time. Of course, they don’t have children but it makes me hope that one day, I can continue my lovely desire to travel and share that with my daughter.
.-= Natasha Vianna´s last blog ..Boston- Perfect City for Moms =-.
@Natasha – Exactly! My friends are all over the globe, going to Korea and New York and Europe…while I still need to hold my breath before I fill up my gas tank. One day, I’ll be able to do more, and my kids will be old enough to enjoy it.
We haven’t taken little Miss O on a ‘holiday’ yet, as far as she knows, whenever she goes to grandma’s house (000s of miles away!), she thinks she’s going on holiday.
We don’t even think we will take her far away anytime soon, maybe just a trip within the UK or in mainland Europe but I personally wouldn’t even want to pay the flight, just to endure the screams and then for her to remember the destination. She has just as much fun at the fair, or going to the supermarket! lol Your kids will have THE BEST TIME because it is a holiday and for little ones, the ‘where’ is nowhere near as important as anything else… : )
Have a great time hun, we can’t wait for the pix!
.-= Mrs O´s last blog ..7 months and counting – Perfectly imperfect! =-.
@Mrs. 0 – Yeah, I’m sure the kids don’t understand and don’t care. It’s just my own insecurity, that’s all.
Knowing and sticking to your financial limits is one of the best things you can teach your kids. Don’t worry, you’ll be able to take those trips overseas in no time.
Best of luck with grad school!